A 13 kg asteroid is traveling through space with velocity v = 110 m/s when it breaks up into three equal pieces. One piece is left at rest, and a second one continues with same velocity. What was the energy of the explosion?

There are three kinds of people in the world: those who can count, and those who can't.

Well it doesn't tell me about the third piece. I'm just stuck on this problem.

I don't know how to calculate the energy of the explosion.

I got 715 J. Steve, is this right?

first conserve momentum

13*110 = (13/3)(0)+(13/3)110 +(13/3)v

3*(13/3) *110 = 0 + (13/3)110 + (13/3)v

2 *110 = v

v = 220 :)

Now do energy

Ah, I see, thank you! I got 314600 J is that right? I did 1/2*m*v^2.

energy before = (1/2)13(110)^2 = 78,650 Joules

energy after = (1/2)(13/3)(110)^2 +(1/2)(13/3)(220^2)

So I got 131083.33 J. Is that correct?

(1/2)(13/3)(110^2 +220^2) - (1/2)(13/3)(3) (110)^2

= (1/2)(13/3) (110^2 + 220^2- 3*110^2)

= 51,480 I got

correction 52,433